Medical, Health and Safety Blog

Category Archives: EMS

I woke up this morning or should I say the ring of my phone woke me up at 15 minutes before seven. When I look at my phone I noticed the familiar number displayed on the screen. Although I am expecting calls from time to time since I am on stand-by duty today. It was the medical center and asking me to come because the first responder ambulance just left for an emergency call. And so I dressed. But before I can go upstairs, I noticed that it is gloomy outside and when I double checked it, the fog is so thick that you can barely see the road.

My suspension became clear as I drove to the medical center as I can only go as fast as 40 km/hr. That if you consider 40 km/hr as fast, but I cannot jeopardize my safety by going faster than that because the road visibility is more or less just two meters away. In fact, I already missed my first turn in the roundabout because I barely can see the intersections.

And before I can even park my vehicle, I was told to hurry because of the mass casualty incident that happened. Then even driving towards the scene is not difference as I can only run a fast as 60 or 70 km/hr even I have an emergency warning systems in my disposal. So if you want to arrive safely to your destinations you must practice defensive driving because you don’t know if other drivers around you is practicing the same safety standards as you do.

There was a rear collision of two buses on their way to work and many have said that the accident was due to the first dense fog of the coming winter season. But I stand to disagree although it is a contributing factor yet it is still completely avoidable if and when you practice defensive driving. So when we arrived at the scene, there are already five ambulances and was just glad that we got non critical patients at the back of our ambulance.

You all be safe out there when driving especially in the harsh environment.

Watching the sun rise at the other side of the world was amazing. Its vibrant colors reflect on the waters of the sea. It was a lovely day while we are enjoying the night camping by the beach. It was my first time to go an overnight camp out, although we have had one like it last year but we went home before midnight because our son was sick at that time. And this time around he is quite active so I decided that we will have our first camping experience as a family.

As we enjoyed the get together, least that I expect that on the other side of the Pacific a tragedy will struck fears to those who survive especially the kids who are most traumatized in the devastating earthquake. Hundreds were killed, thousands of structures are destroyed but countless survivors are terrified from the effect of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that wreaks havoc in Bohol and Cebu early yesterday morning. With kids and adult alike still traumatized from the effects of the earthquake, countless aftershocks can still be felt at a higher intensity level.

And it is at this time when you are helpless and felt guilty to yourself as you cannot help or comfort your loved ones when they needed you most while you are doing the same thing for others in far away country. That’s the sad part in my profession that I won’t be around for my loved ones and I cannot imagine how terrified they were during the earthquake especially that my sister just gave birth the night before it happened. But what’s holding me and keeps me moving is the fact that someone like us will be around to lend a hand despite our absence.

Image from Caloy Ramirez

No words can compare to the heroics of nurses, doctors, rescuers and their support staffs. I am grateful and I appreciate what you have done because you never left them alone when they needed you most in those fearful times in their life. And this post will remind the good deeds of the Nursery staffs, Nurses at station 3, the doctors and nurses at the Pediatric department of CDU Hospital and to Dr. Lariza Diaz-Roa who took time looking out for my family.

Its another fruitful year behind and another more years to face ahead for the next generations of dedicated personnel who serves so that others may live. Happy 27th anniversary ERUF, I am sure you are no longer an unsung heroes.

As we slowly moved forward, someone waived and direct us to the patient location. And before we can even reach the scene, I would say that there was no danger of H2S or colorless gasses anymore. I saw one person lying on the concrete ground, motionless and surrounded by several bystanders and probably his colleagues as well. I parked the vehicle, go down and brought all the necessary and appropriate equipment towards where the patient is. We cleared the scene so we can have our working area though the bystanders were just within reach if we needed there help.

The patient was semi-conscious, barely able to open his eyes when asked, no clear history from the bystanders that we can obtain, no obvious major bleeding were noted or any serious and life threatening situation when it comes to the airway and his breathing. So with the decreasing level of consciousness, what do you think is his problem? I’m sure he has a medical problem that needs to be taken cared of immediately before he slips into coma. Is there anything that you can think of? And when that happens, it would be very difficult to reverse the situation.

Anyway, if you think what I am thinking at that time then you are right. I immediately grabbed the glucometer inside the blue bag (that contains medical and trauma supplies) and in no time pricked his finger and took a small drop of his blood on the strip then after five seconds, we got the result and it is not good and alarming. His blood sugar level is only 32 and was below the normal limit of 60mg/dL though it depends on what book you are referring into.

So I prep the IV fluid, stick his right arm with a gauge 20 needle that I missed because he moved his arm from the pain, I guess and I have to stick him again but with the assistance of the bystanders already. They hold his arm while my partner and his colleagues were talking to him constantly to explain to him and to distract his attention even he is not fully conscious. Luckily, I got the line running on the second attempt then prepare the one of the most viscous and irritating emergency drugs in our kit. So you guys be careful with it when you are giving it to your patients. It only took a few precious minutes before the D50 took effect and he was already talking appropriately when we moved him inside the ambulance.